Vitriol spinners losing the battle for hearts and minds?

The view from our front porch at daybreak this morning: Deck cranes of the container ship "West Bay" out of Hong Kong catch the sun's early rays dockside at Eastern Minerals across the street.

"It looks like the vitriol spinners are losing the battle for hearts & minds," we just twittered," referencing a brand new CBS News poll that finds "Most Americans Feel Rhetoric, Tucson Shooting Unrelated":

Overall, 57 percent of respondents said the harsh political tone had nothing to do with the shooting, compared to 32 percent who felt it did …

In the wake of the shooting, much focus has been put on the harsh tone of politics in Washington and around the country, particularly after a contentious midterm election. Rhetoric and imagery from both Republicans and Democrats have included gun-related metaphors, but the majority of the country isn't connecting the shooting to politics.

"Much focus has been put," indeed. Dan Spencer cuts to the chase:

The left-wing hate machine's efforts to blame the shooting on the right has failed to persuade Americans, who continue to show they are smarter than many political activists give them credit for being.

Not only that, two new Rasmussen polls find "45% worried that Obama opponents will turn to violence, down from 53% last year" and "Voters Still See Democratic Agenda in Congress As More Extreme than GOP’s." Uh oh. We almost feel sorry for Soros-funded Media Matters founder David Brock, who's calling on Rupert Murdock to "rein in" Glenn Beck's and Sarah Palin's "violent rhetoric," or else:

If they fail to do so, it is incumbent upon you to fire them or be responsible for the climate they create and any consequences thereof.

It's not gonna happen. We loved Weasel Zippers' analysis:

Oh please. Now David Brock has his panties in a bunch because Beck used vampire imagery and compared him to a “smelly kid in third grade.”

Oh, the humanity! Do you suppose that our fellow citizens, despite — or perhaps because of? — media spin, have noticed after nearly two years of the usual suspects' crying wolf, that Tea Partiers really aren't into violence? As Allah Pundit, scanning the Journolista horizon twittered:

You know the media coverage was bad when even David Brooks is rushing to defend Palin.

Update: Nuance and further insight from Professor Jacobson.

Update II: Michelle Malkin Buzzworthy link!

Update III: Top story on Memeorandum.

Update IV: Moe Lane at Red State links.

Crossposted at Riehl World View and Liberty Pundits.

Comments

[Brian O'Connor]

Best part is, most of the vitriol spinners tend to spew their own brand of violent verbal imagery.

Like Patrick Kennedy:

http://reddogreport.com/2011/01/kennedy-denounces-palin-then-uses-his-own-violent-rhetoric/

[goomp]

It is just amazing how the the leftists can keep a virtuous demeanor as they call the kettle black after the years of hate they have spewed forth against the conservatives and those who love the USA.

[BadGenome]

So... according to David Brock, Rupert Murdoch is supposed to assume some sort of responsibility for the actions of someone who was in no way inspired by Fox News, Glenn Beck, or anything else other than his own derangement?

Well, that's fair enough! When, then, will Brock step up and accept responsibility for Clay Duke's murderous attempt on the Florida school board?

[kenny]

Actually BadGenome, shouldn't George Soros (Brock's employer) accept responsibility for that attack - since he's Brock's "Rupert Murdoch"?

Although Beck makes Murdoch a ton of money, while David Brock just spends Soros' propoganda money. The quality of their work reflects that as well.